Lipid Composition and Prostaglandin Synthesis in Mouse Lung Microsomes: Alterations Following the Ingestion of Menhaden Oil

Three groups of male mice were fed a normal diet or a semisynthetic diet containing either 10% hydrogenated coconut oil (CO group) or 10% menhaden oil (MO group) for two wk. The synthetic diet altered the fatty acid composition of lung microsomal lipids. Mice ingesting menhaden oil contained greater amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acids (22:6 n-3) and decreased amounts of n-6 fatty acids such as arachidonic and adrenic. Synthesis of prostaglandin E2 and prostaglandin F2 alpha from exogenous arachidonic acid was significantly depressed in n-3 fatty acid-enriched lung microsomes. These studies indicated that dietary fish oil not only alters the fatty acid composition of lung microsomes but also lowers the capacity of lungs to synthesize prostaglandins from arachidonic acid.